As someone who trashed the Watchmen movie threads here on Fark when it came out in mid/late winter '09, full disclosure.

I picked up a used copy of the book this past summer. It was intriguing enough that I read it twice, but underwhelming enough that I'm glad I only paid 50 cents for it. Also picked up a used dvd of the movie. Visually? Fairly cool. Overall? POS.

Anderson's Pooper:Arachnophobe: OK, let me ask you this. I'm a huge Harley Quinn fan, have been ever since Mad Love. Should I bother trying Suicide Squad, or am I just going to be driven into a murderous rage?

Saga isn't that great. It is very web comic-y, and reminds me of an even more hipstery Evan Dahm (Rice boy, Vattu.) They were right to flag Wonder Woman, though, because it has been great. The first arc of Batman Inc vol 2 has been great thus far but is uncollected as of yet, but the real winner of the new 52 is China Mieville's Dial H. I can not stress enough how wonderful that series is.

PonceAlyosha:China Mieville's Dial H. I can not stress enough how wonderful that series is.

I haven't been enjoying it as much as I was hoping. The storytelling is just... sloppy. It just feels like one big giant mess of mysterious characters with mysterious powers doing mysterious things. I've been enjoying "Saga" much more, if only because they do a really good job establishing it visually. The story is only so-so, the dialogue gets a little Whedon-y, but the visual design of the book is killer.

Zombie DJ:FirstNationalBastard: "graphic novels", codeword for "pretentious hipster bullshiat no one has read".

What? Ok, whatever.I don't know about "released this year" but in our store there's a few staples we keep around because they constantly sell.Blankets.Aquaman from DC52 (Ya, never thought I'd say that Aquaman is a must read)SagaAnything from Johnathon Hickman (Red Wing, Manhattan Projects, Nightly News)FablesSandman still sells extremely well.Hickman's run on Fantastic Four.Matt Fractions Iron Man.The Underwater Welder is outstandingA God Somewhere (better than Chronicle)

Yes, yes, yes, YES. I loved that one so much, like every other thing Lemire does.

Just about every serious comic book series that is worth a damn comes from Vertigo Comics.

from 1995-2005.

Vertigo has been a shell of its former self since WB decided to synergize with DC.

For example... the guy who created Chew once told a story about how Vertigo editors turned down Chew over half a dozen times, at which point he finally took it to Image and was rewarded with a hit series.

Also, DCWB insists on retaining movie rights and basically locking a property up in exchanvge for publishing, so creators are taking their good ideas to the Indies, where they have a chance of cashing in like Robert Kirkman did on Walking Dead.

Tommy Moo:Blankets is the only book ever that literally made me cry. I don't mean well up; I mean full on tears streaming down my face. Craig Thompson's life has been so similar to mine I thought he must have stolen my journals as a kid. I was raised Evangelical, lived on the edge of a small town with no friends except my brother, so in my solitude I took up drawing. I fell in love with the photograph of a girl I met at Bible camp, and then had deep, troubling thoughts about my faith as I approached college age.

It is my only real tradition to read that book cover to cover every year on Christmas day.

wildcardjack:I'm a geek, but a sci-fi geek, not a superheros and graphic novels geek.

/And I've never watched an episode of Farscape.//Almost done with season 1 of Fringe.

If you're a SciFi fan, skip Fringe, watch Farscape first instead. Fringe starts giving explanations for why things happen as basically "it's magic" (obscured by some half-assed technobabble) about halfway through the first season-- essentially, it's a fantasy series: Olivia is a seer, Peter's the blessed/cursed chosen one, various members of the conspiracy have various sorcerous powers, etc. Basically, it's a classic sword and sorcery story that just has a modern setting, it's not actually science fiction in any way. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course, fantasy is a legitimate form of literature in its own right. You're just going to be increasingly unsatisfied if you want to stick to SciFi and avoid superheroes (especially in season two when members of the cast start getting superpowers and using them to fight crime).

Farscape, meanwhile, is one of the hardest science fiction variants of the old naval exploration story in existence. They give you the rules for the two bits of physics they made up (both methods of interstellar travel), and after that they do absolutely nothing inconsistent with actual physics + the stated physics of the added elements, and avoid technobabble in favor of actually explaining how things work (to varying degrees of success, the writers obviously aren't professional scientists, but there's no heisenberg compensators or inverting the phase polarity going on). Basically think Star Trek written by Isaac Asimov. Bonus: actual aliens outnumber "aliens" that are people with rubber foreheads, because Jim Henson motherfarker.

Jim_Callahan:wildcardjack: I'm a geek, but a sci-fi geek, not a superheros and graphic novels geek.

/And I've never watched an episode of Farscape.//Almost done with season 1 of Fringe.

If you're a SciFi fan, skip Fringe, watch Farscape first instead. Fringe starts giving explanations for why things happen as basically "it's magic" (obscured by some half-assed technobabble) about halfway through the first season-- essentially, it's a fantasy series: Olivia is a seer, Peter's the blessed/cursed chosen one, various members of the conspiracy have various sorcerous powers, etc. Basically, it's a classic sword and sorcery story that just has a modern setting, it's not actually science fiction in any way. Not that there's anything wrong with that, of course, fantasy is a legitimate form of literature in its own right. You're just going to be increasingly unsatisfied if you want to stick to SciFi and avoid superheroes (especially in season two when members of the cast start getting superpowers and using them to fight crime).

Farscape, meanwhile, is one of the hardest science fiction variants of the old naval exploration story in existence. They give you the rules for the two bits of physics they made up (both methods of interstellar travel), and after that they do absolutely nothing inconsistent with actual physics + the stated physics of the added elements, and avoid technobabble in favor of actually explaining how things work (to varying degrees of success, the writers obviously aren't professional scientists, but there's no heisenberg compensators or inverting the phase polarity going on). Basically think Star Trek written by Isaac Asimov. Bonus: actual aliens outnumber "aliens" that are people with rubber foreheads, because Jim Henson motherfarker.

Love Farscape as its better written/acted than most of he competition...and it takes all Treks tropes and does them better, also Aliens appear farking ALIEN not forehead prosthetic of the week, or every other culture but human is mono cultured (1 style of clothes, one EXACT haircut for a species..etc.

But Farscape isn't "hard" science...they also have their share of pure fantasy...translator microbes, Maldis and his magic, Luxans surviving in the vacuum of space, etc etc....it's still better and more consistent than most "scifi" out there.

Vexed Thespian:Tommy Moo: Blankets is the only book ever that literally made me cry. I don't mean well up; I mean full on tears streaming down my face. Craig Thompson's life has been so similar to mine I thought he must have stolen my journals as a kid. I was raised Evangelical, lived on the edge of a small town with no friends except my brother, so in my solitude I took up drawing. I fell in love with the photograph of a girl I met at Bible camp, and then had deep, troubling thoughts about my faith as I approached college age.

It is my only real tradition to read that book cover to cover every year on Christmas day.

For me crying occurred at the end of Y and I Kill Giants

Blankets is a heartbreaker for sure. I read the last trade of Y late at night and woke up my wife when I literally cried out "No!"

Okay, maybe it's just that I'm unfamiliar with your particular shtick, but is there a point hidden somewhere in your posts, or am I looking at it?

Actually, there is no schtick. I think modern mainstream comics are rather shiatty, and have been quite vocal about how much DC and Marvel suck, and that things like constantly dropping sales no matter how many creatively bankrupt reboots are done back me up.

Some people, most notably the Hebalo guy up there, get very offended when someone dares point out comic sales suck and it's pretty much a dying industry, and have made a point of posting only to point out every time I dare say something mean toward his beloved comics industry. (but are strangely absent the many times I have a nice conversation about what books are good or what someone should read. In that way, I think he's stalking me.) And, I don't help matters by escalating to full-on "piss off the fanboys" mode after they show up.

Okay, maybe it's just that I'm unfamiliar with your particular shtick, but is there a point hidden somewhere in your posts, or am I looking at it?

Actually, there is no schtick. I think modern mainstream comics are rather shiatty, and have been quite vocal about how much DC and Marvel suck, and that things like constantly dropping sales no matter how many creatively bankrupt reboots are done back me up.

Some people, most notably the Hebalo guy up there, get very offended when someone dares point out comic sales suck and it's pretty much a dying industry, and have made a point of posting only to point out every time I dare say something mean toward his beloved comics industry. (but are strangely absent the many times I have a nice conversation about what books are good or what someone should read. In that way, I think he's stalking me.) And, I don't help matters by escalating to full-on "piss off the fanboys" mode after they show up.

You got dragged into the middle of it. Sorry.

/was still a pretty shiatty list in TFA.

Ah. I see, I guess.

Well, I'm certainly not a fan of most of Marvel/DC's work, but I don't think the industry as a whole is in any danger.

And the few titles from the article that I've read are actually quite good, in my opinion.

I've been hearing how "comics is a dying industry" or near 30 years...yet here we are... SDCC went from a few hundred people, to an international event, and films based off comic properties consistently top the box office charts...

The industry has evolved...but it's doing the opposite thing...thriving...It's grown way beyond brick and mortar comic shops, and is more heavily monetized than at any point it its history despite shiatty circulation numbers.Anyone who claims the "industry is dying" don't have a clue what they are talking about.

I love sequential art, not so much superhero comics, though. My eyes were opened when I first went to the Toronto Comic Arts Festival a few years ago and saw so much imagination and variety. Also, the North York Central Library started to feature graphic novels prominently at the front.

Some of my favourites so far:

"Capacity", Theo EllsworthEqual parts anthology, autobiography and fantasy adventure. Probably the closest that anything has come to making me feel like I'm in a dream while still awake.

"Asterios Polyp" by David MazzucchelliProbably the single best use of sequential art I've ever seen. Definitely an example of "high literature" in graphic novel form.

"Sausage Hand" by Andrew SmithOr, a comic by someone with no sense of boundaries in which everything is consistently demented yet the whole thing taken together is surprisingly coherent.

"Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath and Other Stories"I supported this one through Kickstarter, it's H.P. Lovecraft well-told with amazing artwork. The artist's website is mockman.com, he's currently adapting another Lovecraft story..

"Regards from Serbia", Aleksandr ZografReally informative and insightful portrayal of the recent history in Serbia by someone living through it.

"Orc Stain", James StokoeProbably the closest thing to superhero comics on my list, as in the main character has a power that allows him to escape from almost any situation. Fantasy adventure with insanely detailed art and a bizarre sense of humour.

"Palestine" by Joe SaccoThe first book of his I read, it's an excellent example of investigative journalism.

"Rice Boy", Evan DahmA fantasy epic. You can read the whole thing on his website, plus the other projects he's started since then.

Stratohead:I've been hearing how "comics is a dying industry" or near 30 years...yet here we are... SDCC went from a few hundred people, to an international event, and films based off comic properties consistently top the box office charts...

The industry has evolved...but it's doing the opposite thing...thriving...It's grown way beyond brick and mortar comic shops, and is more heavily monetized than at any point it its history despite shiatty circulation numbers.Anyone who claims the "industry is dying" don't have a clue what they are talking about.

I find it funny you think San Diego still has anything to do with comics.

FirstNationalBastard:Stratohead: I've been hearing how "comics is a dying industry" or near 30 years...yet here we are... SDCC went from a few hundred people, to an international event, and films based off comic properties consistently top the box office charts...

The industry has evolved...but it's doing the opposite thing...thriving...It's grown way beyond brick and mortar comic shops, and is more heavily monetized than at any point it its history despite shiatty circulation numbers.Anyone who claims the "industry is dying" don't have a clue what they are talking about.

I find it funny you think San Diego still has anything to do with comics.

Your ignorance is so cute.... They just host the annual Eisner Awards there very year as a smoke screen of course...and he mere fact that entire comic careers can be made with connections made at SDCC just an elaborate ruse...just don't tell all those people dressed as comic characters.... You ignorant fark

Stratohead:FirstNationalBastard: Stratohead: I've been hearing how "comics is a dying industry" or near 30 years...yet here we are... SDCC went from a few hundred people, to an international event, and films based off comic properties consistently top the box office charts...

The industry has evolved...but it's doing the opposite thing...thriving...It's grown way beyond brick and mortar comic shops, and is more heavily monetized than at any point it its history despite shiatty circulation numbers.Anyone who claims the "industry is dying" don't have a clue what they are talking about.

I find it funny you think San Diego still has anything to do with comics.

Your ignorance is so cute.... They just host the annual Eisner Awards there very year as a smoke screen of course...and he mere fact that entire comic careers can be made with connections made at SDCC just an elaborate ruse...just don't tell all those people dressed as comic characters.... You ignorant fark

Ooh... entire comic careers! Because those are so lucrative, that's why everyone hopes to jump to shiatty TV shows and movies, or Jizzmopping.

And using loser cosplayers to defend something? Loser cosplayers will show up at the opening of a jar.

When I worked for Diamond ( 89-91) our monthly catalog was 20-30 pages. Now it's twice the size of a Sears Wishbook and 4 times as dense, and it has its own circulation that rivals many large properties as people subscribe to it.

Comics and "Hollywood" have merged...so what? That's how it works now, and yes... Careers in comics can be "lucrative" ...TMNT made Eastman and Laird multimillionaires. Frank Miller seems be doing pretty well.

And more people are able to earn a living in the field....even for those who don't get the golden ticket...and for those into it, being able to support yourself doing what you love beats fark out of an office job, or whatever it's you call what FirstNationBastards mom does in dark alleys to keep him in formula.

When I worked for Diamond ( 89-91) our monthly catalog was 20-30 pages. Now it's twice the size of a Sears Wishbook and 4 times as dense, and it has its own circulation that rivals many large properties as people subscribe to it.

Comics and "Hollywood" have merged...so what? That's how it works now, and yes... Careers in comics can be "lucrative" ...TMNT made Eastman and Laird multimillionaires. Frank Miller seems be doing pretty well.

And more people are able to earn a living in the field....even for those who don't get the golden ticket...and for those into it, being able to support yourself doing what you love beats fark out of an office job, or whatever it's you call what FirstNationBastards mom does in dark alleys to keep him in formula.

Also...circulation numbers have thinned for established tiles ...but the number of available tiles and publishers on a monthly basis have never been higher, meaning more people are reading combined with the balancing act of pspreading readership across a larger surface.... Fewer people may be buying Batman or Spider-Man , but more people are reading comics of some kind than at any time in history. More choice, more diverse subject matter, more women and minorities publishing, more licensing and merchandising of comic properties than at any time in historyI've been dealing with the industry for over 30 years, I know what I'm talking about dipshiat.

Stratohead:Also...circulation numbers have thinned for established tiles ...but the number of available tiles and publishers on a monthly basis have never been higher, meaning more people are reading combined with the balancing act of pspreading readership across a larger surface.... Fewer people may be buying Batman or Spider-Man , but more people are reading comics of some kind than at any time in history. More choice, more diverse subject matter, more women and minorities publishing, more licensing and merchandising of comic properties than at any time in historyI've been dealing with the industry for over 30 years, I know what I'm talking about dipshiat.